Never A Black Sleeping Bag
by PaperInkFlowers
Summary: Snake Eyes wants to help and waiting to capture Storm Shadow unharm gives Snake Eyes too much time to think about things. Speculation fic for Retaliation. Takes place post-Retaliation. Might be considered spoilery for some.


**Disclaimer**: I don't own GI Joe: Rise of Cobra or its characters. I make no money off of this. I'm just writing for fun.

_Possible spoiler warnings_: A lot of this is based on speculations I made from the Retaliation trailers. So if you treat trailers as spoilers, you might not want to read this. Don't read the author notes at the end of the story either. Btw, international trailers are spoilery.

Notes: I'm trying to 'fix' ROC to my liking by blending it with elements from other continuities. For readers unfamiliar with GI Joe's lore; the core premise of Storm Shadow's character was that he never really was a villain by choice and he has a close bond with Snake Eyes. (Bromance!) In ROC, they pretty much gave Storm Shadow's backstory to Baroness. (fall into darkness due to a dead beloved relative, close connections to a Joe, brainwashed but fighting; that was Storm's.) And Duke got Snake Eyes'. Not surprising, actually. It's Hollywood, and we can guess what to expect from there on out.

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**Rating: M** for non-explicit violence and mature themes.

Title: Never a Black Sleeping Bag

Summary: The first time and out of habit, Snake Eyes almost chooses the black sleeping bag. The mission has been changed to capturing Storm Shadow alive, and the gear makes transporting a body convenient. But he doesn't like reminders of him killing Storm Shadow. And waiting to transport him unharm always gives Snake Eyes too much time to think.

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Shurikens fly through the air, veering far too off course to be of any threat towards someone like Snake Eyes. Storm Shadow, now clad in gray, snarls in frustration as he struggles against the tranquilizer's effects. He turns to run, jumping over a short flight stairs and nearly slipping on the monastery's wet stone-carved pathway.

Snake Eyes keeps easy pursuit at a short distance, unimpeded by the light rain, waiting for the sedative to take effect and ready to intervene if necessary. Not for the first time, the surreal sensation of hunting Storm Shadow to help him intrudes, with accompanying guilt and regret. They weigh on him as he recalls hating Storm Shadow for the murder of Hard Master, who was his own uncle and Snake Eyes' surrogate guardian. He remembers believing Hard Master's death was avoidable and Storm Shadow's actions could had been foreseen. Remembers assessing all the contributing factors over and over after he grew older and wiser, in order to prevent a reoccurrence by future students. And he remembers realizing with dismay, once all the pieces fallen in place, how it was a foregone conclusion that his clan would easily suspect Storm Shadow as the assassin, even if Storm Shadow hadn't implicated himself by running away.

But it is too late for all the whys and hows to make any difference. Snake Eyes only wants to save whatever he could of Storm Shadow's soul. To bring peace to both their minds.

And maybe, just maybe, they can start over and forge a brotherhood that should have existed between them.

So Snake Eyes had been waiting for Storm Shadow at the monastery complex and ambushed him in one of the inner courtyards. For the fourth time Storm Shadow returns here. Snake Eyes doesn't understand why. It isn't a viable hideout since the Arashikage were able to track him here the first time, leading to his capture by Snake Eyes and Jinx. The ninja clan that resided here had long abandoned the monastery and it laid untended, falling into ruins under the force of nature. Detachedly, as he trails behind, he wonders if this cliffside architecture holds any significance for Storm Shadow that his unhinged mind would disregard all risks of returning here.

Possibly, Storm Shadow simply likes the place. He does remember when Storm Shadow was a child that he had a preference for high places and often could be found in the trees. Among the great pines and other precarious perches that a child of his age should not be playing on by himself. He hopes that isn't the only thing that remains true of Tomisaburou.

No. Not Tomisaburou anymore.

Thomas.

'Tommy' to Ana DeCobray, who insists they use the name which Storm Shadow gave himself. Who, months after all the nanomites were removed, remembered amongst all her recovered memories that Storm Shadow had been her combat trainer. He was a friend. An elder brother. At first she was angry and hurt, believing he had used her like her own brother had. In the process of piecing together her own mind, she realized he was undergoing the same mental manipulation. She would be exacting revenge if concern for her surrogate brother didn't take priority.

DeCobray has agree to coordinate her efforts and share resources to locate Storm Shadow once Snake Eyes convinces her that he and his clan only wants to help. She couldn't be sure that Storm Shadow would receive a full pardon like she did, and forced them to promise that Storm Shadow wouldn't be harmed or delivered to legal authorities. Still, working with her is not easy. She has been reticent with what she knows of Storm Shadow's history; never sharing more than what she has to. Though Snake Eyes isn't so sure he wants to know. He worries what actions he might still have to hold Storm Shadow accountable for.

Duke has told him how much Ana Lewis loved Rex and how, before he used her and broke her heart, she would have done anything she could to protect him. They think Snake Eyes is lucky that Storm Shadow did not die in the Arctic base.

They are wondering how far Ana DeCobray would go for Storm Shadow.

Or what would happen if he is another betrayer.

Storm Shadow stumbles and Snake Eyes pushes his misgivings away as Storm Shadow halts. He pauses as Storm Shadow bends half over in a shiver when he suddenly turns, tossing miniature flash bombs between them. Even before finishing the gesture, Snake Eyes tackles Storm Shadow over a collapsed wall, feeling the small blast rattle the fractured stones behind them.

A howl of anguish and Storm Shadow launches himself at Snake Eyes, unleashing a blur of strikes with fists and feet that becomes progressively wild with anger as his attacks are blocked. The look of pain holds Snake Eyes' attention and he feels something inside clench.

There.

That is why the most dangerous person he has ever face in combat is Storm Shadow.

Not because Storm Shadow's combat skills are on par with his. He isn't. Lacking the training Snake Eyes has, he doesn't come close.

Not because he is tactically creative. Though Snake Eyes can acknowledge Storm Shadow's talent for that skill, he is too unstable and his uncanny sense of situational awareness tunnels into myopia when encountering Snake Eyes. Though the man keeps a finesse for evasion. Even now with his spirit in shambles, Storm Shadow is difficult to keep captive.

No, it's facing off Storm Shadow's raw depth of emotion that he reserves solely towards Snake Eyes. The ouroboros of raw hurt, the kind which no longer needs a source, and of soul-deep rage, bitterness, and confusion that demands answers that would only serves to fester spiritual wounds and it always makes Snake Eyes want to _stop_.

He has fought cold-blooded killers, megalomaniacs, and enraged opponents unable to cope with defeat, but nothing ever shakes his legendary focus and makes him falter the way Storm Shadow did. The force of emotions coming off Storm Shadow at each confrontation leaves Snake Eyes uneasy and unbalance. The only times when the tidal wave of emotions hadn't been completely focus on him was when DeCobray was his partner, having to divide his attention and watch her back.

Sometimes Snake Eyes includes DeCobray in the retrieval mission, hoping her familiarity would bring Storm Shadow to his senses.

There is never recognition of Ana DeCobray. At all.

Even after capturing Storm Shadow together and removing the nanomites.

That is the only reason DeCobray has concede to allowing the Arashikage shelter him. She would be unable to safely provide care and she doesn't have the ability to prevent Storm Shadow from being a danger to her and himself. Yet.

Baroness Enterprises is making business ventures in Japan and his clan knows she recently purchase a townhouse complex.

The tranquilizer is starting to take Storm Shadow down and Snake Eyes darts forward, catching Storm Shadow and pulling him away before his head could meet a broken stone ledge caused by their second battle here. He winces, choosing to prevent the back of Storm Shadow's head from colliding with his helmet over a blow to his stomach. A hook behind a leg and Snake Eyes draws Storm Shadow to the ground. He wrestles uncoordinated, struggling arms behind the man's back and pins Storm Shadow to the floor, waiting, ignoring the angry curses.

Snake Eyes has discover from his and Jinx's first attempt to keep Storm Shadow captive that his usual tranquilizer, any drugs really, are not as effective as they should be.

The nanomites and whatever else Cobra did to him saw to that.

Thinking what cause Storm Shadow's acclimation to analgesics is something Snake Eyes rather not do right now and he inwardly sighs at that. He dislikes the duration where he has to wait for unconsciousness to take Storm Shadow. It gives him too much time to count regrets. He grimaces when, despite the wet weather, he feels too much heat through his combat armor. He also notes that Storm Shadow has lost weight and hopes the sedative will not have adverse effects in Storm Shadow's current condition. He doesn't want to cause him harm. A part of him feels responsible for Storm Shadow's wellbeing, driven partly by guilt for unintentionally driving him out of the clan, and by obligations of honor as the future heir of the Arashikage.

As a child, he strove to be better than Storm Shadow as a way to prove he had a place in the Arashikage. He was an orphan and he wanted to keep his new home that welcomed him with open arms. It never occurred to him that Storm Shadow would have feared he would have been turned out into the streets in return. He regrets not realizing he had catalyzed the same fears during their childhood together. Instead, they never liked each other and fought. When Hard Master announced that he would be a candidate for the clan's leadership he was overjoyed and relieved at how much he was accepted that they would trust him to uphold the clan's pride and honor. Both Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow sensed the clan had been dissatisfied with Storm Shadow as the heir, though they didn't know why. So Snake Eyes wasn't concerned that he was sharing the candidacy and he didn't care that his quarrels with Storm Shadow took new heights.

As the possible heir, he should have.

He wishes he had. Wishes that someone did.

Back then, he never questioned why Storm Shadow couldn't be murderer. Being a child and then going through school, he knew how children could hurt each other and become viciously twisted. But it wasn't until he had matured enough to become an instructor that the awareness of how children look towards adults sunk in.

It wasn't until he took on apprentices that he understood how much of an emotional leap it was to harm a parental figure. Time and maturity gave him the objectivity to reflect on his childhood with Storm Shadow and his behavior around his uncles. It was then that he sometimes doubted and wondered if his clan had made a mistake.

It pains him that they did.

A part of him feels disappointed that the masters didn't understand how afraid both of them had been.

He knows now that it was, and is, impossible for Storm Shadow to murder his own uncle as much as it would have been for Snake Eyes.

They were children then, after all. Simply afraid of being discarded and abandoned.

And he knows that Storm Shadow will never kill Firefly.

Once the truth was revealed and the nanomites removed, Snake Eyes had hoped that they could bury their grievances and avenge Hard Master together. That it would coax Storm Shadow's eventual return to the clan.

He hadn't counted on who the murderer was to Storm Shadow. That the knowledge would cause the man to unravel.

Snake Eyes knows he can't kill Firefly himself either. Vengeance for Hard Master would solve nothing. He will leave justice to be carry out by someone else. Though a part of him dangerously wishes to eliminate the man from existence and out of Storm Shadow's life on his behalf. He worries what that bastard may have done to Storm Shadow for him to turn out like this. But he has been restraining himself.

Storm Shadow has finally gone still and Snake Eyes checks for signs of a feint before getting off. He turns the man over and gently sweeps Storm Shadow's hood off. His eyes run a quick check for any hints of injuries, catching sight of a faint convex where the clan tattoo would be. He touches the gray sleeve and feels bandages underneath. He knows Storm Shadow doesn't want to return to the Arashikage.

Snake Eyes sighs out loud this time and pulls the sleeping bag off his back, worries at the weight loss as he places Storm Shadow into the bag. He stops securing the straps for a moment and studies the unconscious man. For a fleeting, hysterical moment, it feels like recapturing a wounded cat and putting it into a carrier to get it help. Or rescuing one from a bad owner. It isn't lost on him that Storm Shadow served a man who also shares a serpent moniker, dresses in black, and wears an enclosed helmet. The first time he saw Storm Shadow flanking the Cobra Commander as they walked through Cobra troops he had been struck by how much it seemed to be a mockery of him and his clan. A warped mirror of what should have been.

An image of him, DeCobray, and Cobra Commander squabbling with each other over Storm Shadow pops into his head.

He drops his head into a free hand, chokes out what should be a laugh, harsh and sad.

It should have been different.

Maybe it can still be.

Snake Eyes doesn't know what to do, but he needs to fix this and he isn't going to stop trying.

He never gives up.

* * *

More notes: Storm removed the tattoo safely. He isn't cutting himself! I know that bandage part seems to imply it but he isn't. He doesn't want the tattoo anymore. My reasoning for him having it in the first place, and also wearing blinding white, is because he's fighting against the brainwashing. He's mocking the clan by being so obvious and it's the reason he gives people, but he's subconsciously doing it to wave a flashy sign saying, "Here I am! Stop me, please."

I don't think Ana is all sweetness, but she cares. I like the idea that Storm and Baroness don't remember they've had a prior relationship. She didn't get the same nanomites and functioned as well as she did because she's capable of that sort of darkness. She just needed a 'push.' But because Destro doesn't like possible competition the memories of Storm had to go. Because killing Storm wasn't an option and to keep Storm unemotionally attach. And she can't shelter Storm because he might kill her in mistaken self-defense. I'm ignoring the "doesn't kill women" thing. That's just dumb.

I'm partial to the idea that Firefly was the assassin and saw an opportunity to stay off the Arashikage's radar by taking in Storm when he saw him run. But I also like the idea of Storm being mostly self-taught for years until he crosses paths with Firefly, Baroness, and Cobra. And Stockholm's and later brainwashing happens.

I tend to come down hard on the Arashikage for various reason. Though there are likely alternative reactions they had to Hard Master's murder. It's quite possible they know Storm didn't do it, couldn't find him, and blamed themselves for the conditions that would make Storm believe they would suspect him.

This fic was born from my reactions to the trailers:  
Hm… Looks like Snake is carrying something. It's probably to store the climbing equipment. *sees angry Storm tackling Snake in the snow* That'll go over well. *sees Storm and Snake at the Arashikage grounds* Poor Storm, he's always so angry at Snake. He really should be taking it out on the masters. Oh hey, are Storm's hands tied? But why did they give him his sword? That's interesting… Snake and Jinx at that mountain again. Oh, this monastery might be where Storm is hiding out. And there are all these red ninjas after them. Snake has an awfully large bag slung over his shoulder. Looks like he took something. Wonder what's in it?

*thinks*

Did Snake stuff Storm in their equipment bag?

(It's probably going to turn out to be some sort of carrying bag for an escape parachute/canvas glider.)


End file.
